As is well known, intraocular lenses or IOLs are used in the eye, for example, as an adjunct to the natural lens of the eye or to replace the natural lens of the eye when the natural lens becomes damaged or otherwise incapable of functioning. For example, the natural lens may be removed and an IOL is inserted into the eye as a direct replacement. A typical IOL includes an optic or lens body for focusing light toward the retina of the eye, and one or more fixation members or haptics for fixing the IOL in the desired position within the eye.
The IOL preferably is implanted directly into the eye through a small incision formed in the ocular tissue of the eye. To fit through this small incision, optics of modern IOLs are designed to be deformed, e.g., folded, rolled or the like, to a relatively small profile and then allowed to substantially return to their original shape within the eye.
The IOL is typically provided to the surgeon or other medical personnel in a packaging system which contains the IOL. These packaging devices protect the IOL during handling and transportation to the surgical site and may even allow for accurately folding the IOL along the optic diameter in order to reduce its size. Some of these systems specifically fold the IOL in preparation for grasping by the forceps or other surgical instrument. One form of such a holding and folding device or system is described in Buboltz et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,241.
A very useful technique for inserting an IOL into the eye includes the use of an IOL injector or cartridge, such as the IOL injector described in Bartell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,102. These IOL injectors include a load chamber which is connected to an injection tube. The load chamber includes an openable first lumen for receiving the IOL. Closure of this first lumen folds the IOL and maintains the IOL in a folded state. The injection tube includes a small diameter distal tip which is insertable into the incision within the eye. The IOL is transferable from the load chamber through the injection tube and into the eye. These IOL injectors simplify the placement of the IOL within the eye and reduce chances of surgeon error.
A very useful IOL packaging system is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/987,864, filed on Dec. 9, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,974 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. The IOL is placed on the load chamber so that the IOL will be folded when the load chamber is closed.
The technique of transferring the IOL to the load chamber of the injector normally is accomplished by manually manipulating the IOL and/or injector. Such manual manipulation requires a relatively high degree of dexterity and can result in the IOL being incorrectly loaded in the injector. Also, increased handling increases the risk of damaging and/or contaminating the IOL and/or injector.
It would be advantageous to provide an IOL injector holding system so that the IOL could be placed in the injector with reduced, or even substantially no, manual manipulation.